About Waterloo Schools
Waterloo Central School District is located approximately equidistant between the north ends of Seneca and Cayuga Lakes, the two largest of the world famous Finger Lakes of New York State. This district is bisected by the section of the Barge Canal system which connects the two lakes. Although a few miles closer to the Syracuse urban area, there is a greater involvement with the Rochester area which is the center of most regional planning and administrative agencies. Agribusiness and tourism are major occupations, as there are few large industries located in the district. Other employment is provided by small businesses and companies in neighboring towns. Waterloo is a village in Seneca County, New York, United States. The population of 5,171 at the 2010 census makes it the most populated village in Seneca County. Waterloo is the primary county seat of Seneca County, with the other being Ovid as part of a two-shire system established in 1822. Most of the county administrative offices are located in the village. Therefore, many political sources only list Waterloo as the county seat. The Village of Waterloo is mostly in the Town of Waterloo, but the part south of the Cayuga-Seneca Canal of the village is in the Town of Fayette and a small area in the southeast of the village is in Seneca Falls, New York. The school district covers eighty-five square miles and serves families from the town of Waterloo, and portions of Fayette, Tyre, Junius, Phelps, Seneca Falls and Geneva.
Waterloo houses a Pre-Kindergarten program at Skoi-Yase Primary school which currently serves our youngest learners. We believe in early intervention and providing readiness skills for our pre-school aged students so they begin Kindergarten with strong foundational skills in reading and math. Skoi-Yase Primary School is our Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 2 Building where the focus is on early reading, math, science and social skills. Students learn to be kind and gentle friends and good citizens through their well-rounded instructional program.
LaFayette Intermediate School is for our students in Grades 3-5. LaFayette adds to the foundational skills set into place during the primary years at Skoi-Yase and continues to build a strong foundation for our students to enter their secondary education at Waterloo Middle School. Our mission at LaFayette is to provide a safe, nurturing, loving environment that fosters self-esteem, is conducive to learning, and prepares students to be successful for their life in and beyond the classroom walls. LaFayette encourages students to begin to spread their wings, to find their voices and learn to become self-sufficient, motivated, independent learners. The intermediate years are transitional from a perspective of completing foundational skills and beginning to use those skills to master content. A strong emphasis is placed on providing a well-rounded program with emphasis on the whole child.
Waterloo Middle School, grades 6-8, is the transition from childhood to adulthood. Students at the Middle School continue to extend their knowledge of content. With an eye on the whole child, the Middle School continues to focus on the pillars of character, ensuring that students work hard, are kind, caring and supportive of each other. Waterloo Middle School was named a school of 2008 National School of Character and 2008 New York School of Character. "Academics and Character Together" - A Class ACT… in 2008. This strong base in character education continues on through the daily advisement period and rich extra-curricular activities offered at WMS.
Waterloo High School's instructional program has many unique offerings. We have a strong partnership with Finger Lakes Community College, offering many dual credit classes. We have a state of the Art CAD/CAM facility and Technology offerings in DDP, woodworking, welding, computer science, and drone piloting. Our Arts programs are equally robust, with fifteen offerings, and three Gemini classes in Music and Studio Arts. Our four core classes of English, Math, Science and Social Studies have advanced offerings in each content area with Gemini opportunities. We offer Family and Consumer Science classes to Junior and Seniors. WHS offers both Spanish and French, through level five, complete with potential for Gemini credits. Among the other opportunities for students are Business, Gemini credit weight training and the opportunity to attend Finger Lakes Tech and Career Centers several satellite locations for a choice of eighteen different specialty programs in animal science, carpentry, medical careers and criminal justice, to name a few.